Cribbing wall



Feb. 28, 1961 A. N. COOPER 2,972,870

CRIBBING WALL Filed Aug. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WiWlMAw-w'm.

jg INVENTOR. -24 ALVA N. COflPER Auoryey Feb. 28, 1961 Filed Aug. 27, 1957 A. N- COOPER CRIBBING WALL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. /]L m A! 600F461? cnnsnmo WALL Alva N. Cooper, Los Angeles, Calif.; Herbert Potter, ad-

ministrator of said Alva N. Cooper, deceased, assignor of one-half to Herbert Rose, Beverly Hills, and onehalf to Harmon Enterprises, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif a corporation of California Filed Aug. 27, 1957, Ser. No. 680,585

6 (llaims. (Cl. 61-47) This invention relates to improvements in cribbing wall, particularly to the elements or wall members which cooperate with one another in producing the cribbing wall.

A cribbing wall is not particularly new in the present application but such walls as heretofore known had certain weaknesses which are overcome in the present construction.

A cribbing wall to be perfectly satisfactory must'have the quality of flexibility, that is, the quality being able to give, flex, when encountered by unusual forces whether directed from beneath the wall or against the rear of the Wall, by pressure shocks due to water or earth, and

particularly give to pressure shocks from beneath the wall, as by earth tremors or quakes. This quality of flexibility enables the wall to give under such pressure shocks but upon cessation thereof the wall returns to its normal position.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a cribbing wall formed of interlocking stretchers and headers wherein the "interlocking of-said parts will resist separation but will yield under undue pressure and return to normal positions upon cessation of said abnormal pressure.

Another object of this invention is the provision or" a cribbing wall comprised of stretchers and headers with each stretcher and header having an interlock or con nection with one another which will offer the maximum resistance to separation but which interlock will give prior to the buckling of the parts 'and which interlock effects a rapid and positive return of the parts to normal positions upon the cessation o'f'the abnormal force thereagainst. p p

A further object of this invention is'the provision of improved reinforced stretcher and header members for use in providing a cribbing wall and which members are provided with cooperating connections that resist separation .to a high degree and which rapidly return the parts to operative positions after partial displacement.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the. accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and itis to be understood that any modifications may be madein the exact structural details-there shown and described, within the scope of the amended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the inventiom r In the drawings 2' Fig. 1 is a p'erspective'view of an improved stretcher of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectionalview throughthe stretcher as seen'from line 22 on Fig. 1. i i i "Fig. 3 ie a sectional view transverselyo'f the stretcher as 'seenfrom line 3- -3 on Fig. 2.

Fig.4 is a view similar to Fig.3 on an enlarged scale :to more clearly bring out the structuralffeatures thereof. 'Fig. '5 isa perspective viewpf'the improved headerlof 2,972,870 Patented Feb. 28, 1 9 61 2 the present invention which cooperates with the stretcher f Fig. l in forming a cribbing wall.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the header of the present invention as seen from line 6--'6 on Fig. 5. V

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view throughthe header of the present invention as seen from line 7-7 on Fig. "6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevational view of one endof the header bringing out the details of construction thereof.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a cap and base block which cooperates with the header and stretcher for completing or finishing the upper andlower ends of a wall.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view through the cap or base block as seen from line 10- 10 on Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an end elevational view of an erected wall utilizing the cribbing elements of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a front elevational or face view of the portion of a wall formed of the cribbing elements of the present invention.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

As is well known, in a cribbing wall, the stretcher elements or blocks are those that extend in the lineal direction of the wall with one face of said elements or blocks constituting the face of the wall, while the headers are the elements or blocks which interconnect or tie the stretcher elements or blocks to one another and at the same time secure or anchor the stretcher elements or blocks to the spot where the wall is located.

The improved stretcher element or block of the present invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is provided with a length considerablein excess of its height and with one surface 15 forming the front of the stretcher biock while the other face 16 forms or constitutes 'the back of the block. The said block is further provided with an upper and a lower surface respectively indicated by the reference numerals 17 and 18. Each'stretcher block is provided, inwardly of-its opposite ends 19 and 20 and downwardly of its upper surface 17, with a notch or seat 21 and 22. The said notches 21 and 22 are respectively inwardly spaced from the stretcher block ends 19 and 20 an equal distance. Upwardly of its lower surface 18 each stretcher block is provided with a notch or seat 23 and 24 respectively in vertical alignment with the notches or seats 21 and 22 and therefore each notch 23 and 24 ,is

similarly and equally spaced from the stretcher block ends 19 andZtl. 7,

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the base of each of the notches or seats Zi-Zdis formed as a curvev approximating a sine wave having a forward portion .25 which is concave and arched upwardly from the front face 15 of the stretcher block and has its inner end as a tangent with steel bars 30and 31 which extend for the major portion of the length of the stretcher block and with each reenforcing bar having its ends short of the ends 1'9 and 20 of the stretcher block. The said reenforcing bars 3.0 and 31 are located as near as practical to the base ofthe notches or seats 2i-24 to take the thrust on thefheader after assembled thereof as will presently be madeclear.

In addition, each of the stretcher blocks has the edges or corners thereof, around the face 15, .chamfered as in dicated at 32 in Figs. 1, 3 and 4; said chamfering being supplied for artistic purposes.

The improved header block illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 comprises an elongated body portion 33 having sides 34 and 35 spaced from one another a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the vertical walls 28 and 29 of the notches or seats 2124 in the stretcher 'block. The header body portion 33 is provided with an .upper surface 36 and a lower surface 37 spaced from one another a distance somewhat greater than twice the depth of the notches or seats 21-24 as measured on the rear face 16 of the stretcher block.

The forward end of the header body portion 35 is pro .vided with a tongue 38 whose upper and lower surface, respectively indicates by reference numerals 39 and 4t), are formed to be complimentary to the surface or base '27 of the stretcher block notches or seats 21-24.

v Specifically, the said header tongue upper and lower faces 39 and 40 are substantially identical and each comprises a forward portion 41 which is convexed from a high point at the forward or free end of the tongue with upper and lower surfaces 39 and 40 of the tongue, as will .be noted, approximate a sine curve similar but opposite to the bases of notches or seats 21-24.

The header tongue 38 has a length somewhat in excess of the width of the stretcher block and with said excess portion of the tongue having its upper and lower ends biased or chamfered as at 45 and 46 and which excess length of tongue, as represented by said biased or chamferred portion, projects forwardly of the forward face 15 of the stretcher block.

The rear end of the header is down turned in the form of a supporting arm 47 and is of a width equal to the width of the body portion 35. The depth of the arm 47 is such that, as will presently be made clear, when the stretcher and headers are in operative positions the axis of the header block body portion 33 is normal or at right angles to the rear face 16 of the stretcher blocks.

The downwardly depending arm 47 is provided transversely of one end thereof with a tongue or key 48 which depends below the lower surface or base 49 of the arm 47. Directly above, or in axial alignment with, said tongue or key 48, the header block is provided downwardly of its upper surface 36 with a transverse notch or keyway 50 and which notch or keyway corresponds I in physical dimensions with the tongue 48. As will be noted one end of the tongue or key 48 and the corresponding wall of the keyway are vertical while the opposite wall 51 of the tongue or key 48 and the corresponding wall 52 of the transverse notch or keyway 50 are inclined to the vertical whereby, and as will presently be made clear, the said tongue or key 48 is made to seat itself in a transverse notch or keyway 50 of the header there'- beneath.

Preferably and particularly in the larger sizes, the header is provided inwardly of the transverse notch or keyway 50 with a second transverse notch or keyway 53 which is similar in all respects to the transverse notch or keyway 50.

The header, as is obvious from the drawings, is, similar to the stretcher, formed of concrete and is reenforced by a reinforcing steel bar 54 which extends substantially axially of the header body portion 33 and its depending supporting arm or block :7 with its opposite ends short of the ends of the header body portion and arm as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6.

In practice the stretchers are mounted one above the other with the lower or bottom face 18 of each stretcher block resting on the upper .or top face 17 of the stretcher block therebelow. Further the courses of stretcher blocks are arranged to have their abutting ends or joints offset from one another wherefore either the first 1 6 Or the second course of a wall commences with a stretcher of half normal length as illustrated at 55 in Fig. 12 and whereupon every other course of stretcher blocks is similarly started. The stretcher blocks are positioned so that the notches or seats in the lower face thereof are vertically aligned with the notches or seats in the upper surface of the stretcher block therebenea-th and which notches or seats together form a socket of a configuration closely resembling and fitting the tongue 38 of the header block and which header block tongue is disposed in said socket to project rearwardly of the stretchers and with the chamferred end thereof projecting forwardly of the stretchers and with the charnferred end thereof projecting forwardly of the stretchers.

It is frequently the practice in erecting a wall, particularly a wall holding back a hillside, to incline the forward face thereof toward the said hill being held back, and such a wall is illustrated in Fig. 11. The lower end of the wall is disposed on a footing 56 and since the stretchers each have formed therein, inwardly of its upper and lower surfaces, one-half of the socket to receive the header tongue, use is generally made of a base block such as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 and indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 57. The base block 57 is of a length substantially equal to the length of a stretcher block and is provided with a lower surface 58 and a stepped upper surface 59. The stepped upper surface 59 results in a tongue 60 which engages the lower edge of the first course of the stretched blocks along the rear face 16 thereof.

The base block 57 is provided, similarly to the stretcher block, inwardly of each end thereof with a notch 61 and 62 each having a base 63 which is formed in the same manner to the same dimensions as the base 27 of the stretcher block notches or seats 21-24. The said base block 57 inwardly of the notches 61 and 62 is provided with a shoulder 63 to receive the shoulder 44 of the lowermost course of headers.

In the erection of a wall as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 the inner ends of the headers are supported on one another with the header inner end or depending supporting arm 47 of the lower most course of headers being interlocked and supported on a footing 64. As is usual practice the various courses of headers, particularly of higher walls, are formed of dissimilar lengths utilizing two or more of headers of equal length before the shorter length headers are employed. In the use of equal length headers the outer most transverse notch 50 in the top surface 36 of the header is employed to receive the tongue 48 of the header thereabove, but when the length of header changes and a shorter upper header is employed the tongue 48 thereof is disposed in the inner transverse notch or keyway 53. In the latter case and to insure proper support between the parts there is provided a shear block 65 immediately beneath the depending supporting arm 47 of said shorter header, and in order that said shear block 65 may be properly positioned it is provided with a transverse extended lug or key 66 corresponding in all respects to the lug or key 48 and is located in operative position by the said inner transverse notch or keyway 53 of the header on which it is disposed. It should be noted that the inclined surfaces 51 and 52 of the header and its supporting arm cause proper seating and positioning of the parts.

In completing the wall, that is finishing its upper edge a cap block 67 is employed and which is identical with the base block 57 except that it isused in a reverse position utilizing its notches 61 and 62 to form the upper half of the stretcher sockets for the upper most course of headers.

In walls over four feet high it is desirable that they be battered, inclined in the direction of the earth movement to be resisted, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 11. In the erection of the wall and after the stretchers and headers have been. set in place, again, as illustrated in Fig. 11, the space behind the stretchers and between the headers is filled with earth, small rock or the like, as indicated by the reference numeral 68. As a matter of fact, if the ultimate wall is of any appreciable height, the said earth, rock, and the like, fill is placed behind the stretcher blocks and around the headers after each course or two have been mounted in position for thereby securely locking the headers to the hill to be retained and insuring that the hill behind the retaining-wall is compact and not provided with voids as could readily occur, except extreme caution were employed, should the placement of the fill be delayed until the entire wall were built.

In view of the foregoing it is believed evident that there has been provided an improved cribbing wall formed of cribbing wall elements which will accomplish the objects initially set forth. 7

What is claimed is: i

1. A cribbing wall structure comprising a plurality of superimposed courses of stretcher blocks, each course including a plurality of individual stretcher blocks having their lower surfaces in contact with the upper surfaces of the stretcher blocks therebelow and with said stretcher blocks in end joint contact, said stretcher blocks each having a notch formed inwardly'frorn each of its upper and lower surfaces and with the notches of the super imposed stretcher blocks in vertical alignment to form a socket between them and with each notch having a base opposed to and diverging from the other to form the top and bottom of its socket, said sockets top and bottom each having its surface to a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together providing a rounded shoulder and a plurality of headers rearwardly projecting from the stretcher blocks with each header having a tongue at its forward end disposed in a stretcher blocks socket with a shoulder at the inner of the tongue and each tongue including means cooperating with the configuration of the socket top and bottom said stretcher blocks with the header tongues disposed in said stretcher blocks sockets being normally retained in operative positions by the weight of the 'said stretcher blocks, and said top and bottom configuration of said stretcher blocks sockets rounded shoulders causing the stretcher blocks to engage the tongues shoulders and requiring a heavy force to cause a movement thereof relative to the header tongue and a rapid positive return of the stretcher blocks to normal operative positions upon relief of said force.

2. A cribbing wall structure comprising a plurality of cluding a plurality of individual stretcher blocks having their lower surfaces in contact with the upper surfaces of the stretcher blocks therebelow and with said stretcher blocks in end joint contact, said stretcher blocks having their end joint contacts of adjacent courses offset from one another in the direction of the length of the courses, said stretcher blocks each having a notch formed inwardly from each of its upper and lower surfaces and with the notches of the superimposed stretcher blocks in vertical alignment to form a socket between them and with each notch having a base opposed to and diverging from the other to form the top and bottom of its socket, said sockets top and bottom each having its surface to a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together forming a rounded shoulder and a plurality of headers rearwardly projecting from the stretcher blocks witheach header having a tongue at its forward end disposed in a stretcher blocks socket with a shoulder at the inner end of the tongue and each tongue including means cooperating with the configuration of the socket top and bottom, said stretcher blocks with the header tongues disposed in said stretcher blocks sockets being normally retained in operative positions by the weight of the said stretcher blocks, and said top and bottom configuration of said stretcher blocks sockets rounded shoulders causing the stretcher blocks to engage the "6 tongues shoulders and requiring a heavy force to cause a movement thereof relative to the header tongue and a rapid positive return of the stretcher blocks to normal operative positions upon relief of said force.

3. A cribbing wall structure com-prising a plurality of superimposed courses of stretcher blocks, each course including a plurality of individual stretcher blocks having their lower surfaces in contact with the upper surfaces of the stretcher blocks therebelow and with said stretcher blocks in end joint contactysaid stretcher blocks each having a notch formed inwardly from each of its upper and lower surfaces and with the notches of the superimposed stretcher blocks in vertical alignment to form a socket between them and with each notch having a base opposed to and diverging from the other to form the top and bottom of its socket, said sockets-top and-bottom each having its surface to a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together providing a rounded shoulder, and a plurality of headers rearwardly projecting from the stretcher blocks with each header having a tongue at its forward end disposed in a stretcher blocks socket with a shoulder at the inner end of the tongue, and each header tongue having its upper and its lower surfaces diverging and of a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together providing a rounded shoulder cooperating with the similarly formed socket top and bottom, said stretcher blocks with the header tongues disposed in said stretcher blocks sockets being normally retained in operative positions by the weight of said stretcher blocks, and said sockets top and bottom and the header tongues upper-and lower surfaces rounded corners forcing the 'said stretcher blocks to engage the tongues shoulders and requiring a heavy force to cause a relatively movement thereof to one another and a rapid positive return thereof to normal operation positions upon relief of said force.

4. A cribbing wall structure comprising a plurality of superimposed courses of stretcher blocks, each course including a plurality of individual stretcher blocks having their lower surfaces in contact with the upper surfaces of the stretcher blocks therebelow and with said stretcher blocks in end joint contact, said stretcher blocks each having a notch formed inwardly from each of itsupper and lower surfaces and'with the notches of the superimposed stretcher blocks in vertical alignment to form a socket between them and with each notch having a base opposed to and diverging from the other to form the top and bottom of its socket, said sockets top and bottom each having its surface to a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together providing a rounded shoulder, a plurality of headers readwardly projecting from the stretcher blocks with each header having a tongue at its forward end disposed in a stretcher blocks socket with a shoulder at the inner end of the tongue, each header tongue having its upper and its lower surfaces diverging and of a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together providing a rounded shoulder cooperating with the similarly formed socket top and bottom, said stretcher blocks with the header tongues disposed in said stretcher blocks sockets being normally retained in operative positions by the weight of said stretcher blocks, and said sockets top and bottom and the header tongues upper and lower surfaces rounded shoulders forcing the said stretcher blocks to engage the tongues shoulders and require a heavy force to cause a relatively movement thereof to one another and a rapid positive return thereof to normal operative positions upon relief of said force, said rearwardly projecting headers being in vertical alignment as are the stretcher blocks sockets forming notches, and each header having a downwardly projecting supporting arm for engagement with the header therebelow.

5. A cribbing wall structure comprising a plurality of superimposed courses of stretcher blocks, each course including a plurality of individual stretcher blocks havsemen:

bottom each having its surface to a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve to- "gether providing a rounded shoulder, a plurality of headers rearwardly projecting from the stretcher blocks with each header having a tongue at its forward end disposed in a stretcher blocks socket with a shoulder at the inner end of the tongue, each header tongue having its upper and its lower surfaces diverging and of a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together providing a rounded shoulder cooperating with the similarly formed socket top and bottom, said stretcher blocks with the header tongues dis posed in said stretcher blocks sockets being normally retained in operative positions by the weight of said stretcher blocks, and said sockets top and bottom and the header tongues upper and lower surfaces rounded shoulders forcing the said stretcher blocks to engage the tongues shoulders and require a heavy force to cause a relative movement thereof to one another and a rapid positive return thereof to normal operative positions upon relief of said force, said rearwardly projecting headers being in vertical alignment as are the stretcher blocks sockets forming notches, each header having a downwardly projecting supporting arm for interlocking the rear ends of said headers and supporting arms in vertical alignment. 7

6. A cribbing wall structure comprising a plurality of superimposed courses of stretcher blocks, each course including a plurality of individual stretcher blocks having their lower surfaces in contact with the upper surfaces of the stretcher blocks therebelow and with said stretcher blocks in end joint contact, said stretcher blocks each having a notch formed inwardly from each of its upper and lower surfaces and with the notches of the superimposed stretcher blocks in vertical alignment to .8 form a socket between them and with each notch having a base opposed to and diverging from the other to form the top and bottom of its socket, said sockets top and bottom each having its surface to a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together providing a rounded shoulder, a plurality of headers rearwardly projecting from the stretcher blocks with each header having a tongue at its forward end disposed in a stretcher blocks socket with a shoulder at the inner end or" the tongue, each header tongue having its upper and lower surfaces diverging and of a configuration formed by an upward curve and a tangential reverse curve together providing a rounded shoulder cooperating with the similarly formed socket top and bottom, said stretcher blocks with the header tongues disposed in said stretcher blocks sockets being normally retained in operative positions by the weight of said stretcher blocks, and said sockets top and bottom and the header tongues upper and lower surfaces rounded shoulders forcing the said stretcher blocks to engage the tongues shoulders and require a heavy force to cause a relative movement thereof to one another and a rapid positive return thereof to normal operative positions upon relief of said force, said rearwardly projecting headers being in vertical alignment as are the stretcher blocks sockets forming notches, each header having a downwardly projecting supporting arm at its rearward end for engagement with the header therebelow, each header having formed therein above its supporting arm a transverse keyway, and each header having formed on its supporting arm to depend therebelow a transverse key to cooperate with the keyway of the header therebelow and interlocking the vertically aligned headers.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2,972,870 4 February 28, 1961 Alva N. Cooper It is hereby certifiedthat error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column5, line 36, after "inner" insert end line 88, after "bottom" insert a comma; column 6, line 34L for "relativel ad relative line 36, for "operation". read operative line 52, for :"readwardly" read rearwardly line 66, for "relatively" read relative (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents 

